Valor: Korea Remembered by Utah Media Group

A SALUTE TO UTAH’S VETERANS AND MILITARY

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KOREA REMEMBERED COVER PRICE $5

NOVEMBER 2015

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20 10: BUSAN , Repu bl i c of Kore a. The ai rc raft c a r r i er USS G e o rg e Wa sh i n g to n (CV N 7 3 ) a r r i ves i n Bu s a n, Repu blic o f Korea. Th is is the f i rst port vi si t f or G e org e Wa sh i n g to n d u r i n g i t s 20 1 0 s u mmer p a t ro l i n t h e wes te rn Pacif ic O cean and th e second vi si t to B u san by the sh i p s i n ce O c to b er 20 0 8 . T h e Rep u b l i c o f Ko rea a n d t h e Un ited States con duct a com bi ne d al l i ance m ari ti m e a n d a i r rea d i n es s exerc i s e “ Inv i n c i b l e S p i r i t ” i n t h e s ea s eas t of t h e Ko rean penin sula. Thi s i s the f i rst i n a se ri e s o f j o i n t mi l i t a r y exerc i s es t h a t w i l l o cc u r over t h e co mi n g m on t h s in the East an d Wes t Se as. u . s . n av y p h o t o . r e l e a s e d . / m a s s c o m m u n i c at i o n s p e c i a l i s t 3 r d c l a s s c h a r l e s o k i

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Valor: A Salute to Utah’s Veterans and Military is a publication of Utah Media Group and distributed in partnership with Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune. Copyright © n o v e m b e r 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without consent of Utah Media Group. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication and assume no liability for errors, inaccuracies or omissions.

CONTENTS

Observing Veterans Day

United in Music

Korea: Its Memory Still Lives

Peace in the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month 60 Years of Honoring Utah’s Veterans with Annual Concert

11 The Chosin Few: How Can One Forget When Hell Froze Over? 15 Battle at Kapyong: The Story of the Utah National Guard’s 213th Field Artillery Battalion 23 Medals for Peace: Two Buddies Take on Challenge to Honor Utah’s Korean War Veterans

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To the Sea

Fort Douglas

Building Blocks

Navy Finds a Place in a Land-locked State

U.S. Military Claims a Long and Rich Heritage in Utah

Connecting Veteran Entrepreneurs with the Right Business Resources va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

I W I L L N OT F O RG E T W H AT V E T E R A N S DAY M E A N S TO M E F R O M T H E E D I TO R S : Fe a t u re d a s p a r t o f t h i s ye a r’s Ve t e ra n s Da y C o n c e r t t h e Ut a h Na t i o n a l Gu a rd p a r t n e re d w i t h t h e Ut a h P TA a n d h e l d a n e s s a y c o n t e s t f o r c h i l d re n o f c u r re n t l y s e r v i n g m e m b e r s o f t h e Ar m e d Fo rc e s . T h e t h e m e o f t h e c o n t e s t w a s “ W h y I Am Pro u d o f My Ve t e ra n .” B o r row i n g o n t h i s , VA LO R re a c h e d o u t t o b u s i n e s s l i a s i o n s a n d m i l i t a r y l e a d e r s t o a s k t h e m , “ W h y o b s e r ve Ve t e ra n s Da y ? ” He re a re s o m e o f t h e i r t h o u g h t s :

I’ve worked at the Veterans Home for the past 12 years and learned the residents’ stories of valor and sacrifice. Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to recognize all who have put their lives on the line fighting for our freedom and liberty and to remember the many that gave their all.

Jeff Hanson State Officer, Central Utah Veterans Home, Payson Without veterans and our current service members, we would not be living in the country where we are all so fortunate to enjoy or be able to pursue our own unique quests for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We all owe a debt of gratitude to all those who came before us so valiantly serving our country. We should recognize all those who are still serving today, as well as their families who sacrifice so much. It is one of the highest callings to serve one’s country. I am truly humbled by all those veterans who bravely served and those who continue to serve.

Aaron Goodman Director, Family and Morale, Welfare & Recreation, Dugway Proving Ground I come from a long line of military families who sacrificed so much for all of us. I retired from the Utah Army National Guard and my three brothers were in the Army, Marines and Navy. Working at the Veterans Home has given me even more of an appreciation for all of these great service men and women. I am so thankful for all the sacrifices they have made for me and my family. I proudly wave the red, white and blue.

Jacqueline Peterson State Officer, Southern Utah Veterans Home, Ivins

With the significant contributions and sacrifices of our military over these more than 14 years of conflict in the Middle East, Veterans Day has evolved to a day where we can all pause and recognize what our men and women in uniform do for each and every one of us. I am truly honored to serve our great nation, and thank all those who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me in protecting our freedoms.

Veterans Day is a lesson in what it means to be free and to remember those that have made that sacrifice. I remember the 82 members of my Brigade Combat Team that were lost during the year we spent in Ramadi, Iraq. These fine young men paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend this country and their brothers in arms. I think about them every day. I hope others will give them the respect and appreciation that they so truly deserve.

Steven A. Fairbourn, LTC

Bruce D. Summers

USARMY / UTANG

Chief of Veteran Services, Dept. of Workforce Services

I celebrate Veterans Day to honor and respect those who defend us, our families and our homes—those who take on a burden for so many, carried by so few. It is a time to recognize courage, honor and sacrifice made by all who’ve worn the uniform which signifies a commitment to defending America and those who live within her borders.

Christopher Dominguez Military Talent Acquistion Manager,Vivint Solar When I was a young boy in Minnesota, we celebrated four big days a year—Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Even then I knew that these were special people we were honoring. I come from a military family that understands what sacrifice and duty mean. All of the memories of my youth come back when I see a veteran saluting a flag.

Kim Wixom State Officer, George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home Veterans Day is when I celebrate family. Not just my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, but my actual family. As a second-generation American, I am proud to say that I am the third generation of my family to serve. As a young captain in the Filipino Army during WWII, my grandfather was recruited and “absorbed” into U.S. forces to train American soldiers in the art of jungle warfare. My father wore Air Force blue, while I proudly marched in Army green.

Veterans Day is an opportunity for all Americans to be reminded of the service and sacrifice our military members and their families have made and continue to make for our freedoms. Members of the Utah National Guard and our Utah-based reserve units continue deploying at significant rates with hundreds of Utah’s own—our coworkers, neighbors, families and friends—doing the work our country has asked them to do, many in harms way.

Brian Garrett Sr. V.P., Director of Military Relations, Zions Bank Veterans Day is one brief moment each year when we unite to enjoy a parade, maybe a picnic or a patriotic display. But amidst the “celebration” and the flag waving, I remember Uncle Stanley, cut down by a German machine gun as he charged up a hill in France, and Uncle Herbert, face down in a muddy trench line. I remember our veterans, and I remember for whom they fought, bled and died. I will not forget.

Todd Hansen State Officer, William E. Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home

Ian A. Lorenzana Business Resources, Small Business Administration

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O B S E RV I N G V E T E R A N S D AY PEACE IN THE 11TH HOUR O F T H E 1 1 T H D AY O F T H E 1 1 T H M O N T H b y Ro b e r t We l s h d e pa r t m e n t o f v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta r y a f fa i r s

orld War I—often referred to as “The Great War”—officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Fighting had ceased, however, seven months earlier when an armistice between Allied Powers and Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, with the original concept for it to be a day of parades, public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m. In 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the nation’s history, and after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, Congress, at the urging of the Veterans Service Organizations, amended the Act by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting “Veterans.” On June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor all the country’s veterans. “In order to ensure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose …,” stated President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the first Veterans Day Proclamation. Then, the Uniform Holiday Bill was signed on June 28, 1968, to create a three-day weekend. Few people liked the idea of celebrating four national holidays on Mondays—Washington’s Birthday (later Presidents Day), Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day just to have these extended weekends. But, the first Veterans Day under the new law was observed, with considerable confusion, on Oct. 25, 1971. It was determined, however, that the commemoration of this day was indeed a matter of historic and patriotic significance to the majority of Americans, and so on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford

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Wo r l d Wa r I M e m o r i a l i n M e m o r y G r ove , e a s t o f t h e U t a h C a p i to l b u i l d i n g . u ta h m e d i a g r o u p p h o t o

signed a new law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11. Veterans Day continues to be observed on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. This restoration of the date preserves its historical significance and helps focus attention on the purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

p h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f t h e u ta h n at i o n a l g u a r d

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TIONAL NA GU

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UNITED IN MUSIC 6 0 Y E A R S O F H O N O R I N G U TA H ’ S VETERANS WITH ANNUAL CONCERT b y C a p t . Ry a n S u t h e r l a n d u ta h n at i o n a l g u a r d

here is much to be said about honoring America’s veterans on Veterans Day. Year after year, remembrances of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice can be seen in the commemorative flags, the planned processions and speaking engagements held nationwide in honor of the noblest of our generations. But we are also reminded, that many of the associations of this day are not just solemn, but are joyful. For the past 60 years, veterans of all branches of service, family members and friends alike, have joined together for a night of music hosted by the Utah National Guard’s 23rd Army Band. With an audience encompassing veterans from all branches of service and spanning from World War II to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are reminded that we are here to not only honor the veterans who have laid down their lives for our nation, but to celebrate the lives of those very veterans who stand amongst us today. Each year the 23rd Army Band, led by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Denny Saunders, and a 700-voice Granite School District high school combined choir, presents a patriotic program honoring the valor and patriotism of veterans who risked their lives—and in many cases, gave their lives— defending liberty. The show pays tribute to their sacrifices, as well as those of their families and loved ones.

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In celebration of its 60th annual Veterans Day Concert to be held Nov. 11, at the University of Utah’s Jon M. Huntsman Center, the Utah National Guard will pay tribute to the people behind the performance, recognizing the profound impact their musical performances have made on veterans. The first concert was held at Skyline High School, and soon moved downtown to the Tabernacle at Temple Square. And for many, many years, that was where we held the Veterans Day Concert. The concert in its current form had its genesis when two gifted and ambitious friends, former 23rd Army Band conductor (retired) Norm Wendell, and longtime Granite School District conductor, Airman 3rd Class Kelly Pearce, had the idea of combining the choirs of the Granite School District to join together in a performance honoring Utah’s veterans. At that time, Wendell was the conductor of the 23rd Army Band and a choir director at Granger High School, and Pearce was a choir director at Cyprus High School. Combining choirs for an event such as this not only lends the District a sense of cohesiveness between the choirs, but also provided a valuable lesson of service and patriotism for the students. “There were eight high schools at that time, that means you’ve got a choir of somewhere between 500 to 800 students who are able to sing patriotic numbers and can feel what our veterans have done for us,” said Wendell. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

Throughout its history, the Veterans Day Concert, being a free event to the public, hasn’t received much publicity outside of word of mouth. Yet year after year, the audience continued to grow in number. “This concert has reached thousands and thousands of people for many, many years. And as a result, there are a lot of students who’ve gained a much better appreciation for veterans and what they have done for them,” said Wendell.

A WORK OF LOVE Mark Pearce, son of Kelly Pearce, has been involved with the Veterans Day Concert practically his entire life. “When I was in high school my dad was the choir director at Cyprus High School,” said Mark. “At the same time, my uncle, Richard Pearce, was the high school choir director at Kearns High. “I remember one Veterans Day Concert in particular,” Mark continued. “I did a solo, my dad was conducting one of the concerts, and my uncle was doing one of the songs—I just remember that as a pretty special experience. It’s been in my family a long time.” Like many of the veterans in the audience, Mark comes from a military family. He has vivid memories of his father returning home in his uniform after a weekend drill with the Utah National Guard. His mother’s family served in the Navy, and he married into an Air Force family. Patriotism came easy for Mark: it was a family affair. Mark, in his current role as the choir conductor at Hunter High School, looks to pass on those lessons of patriotism to his students. “I think the responsibility of public schools is to instill some kind of a value system, of patriotism to the students,” said Mark. “The love of country and the respect for the Armed Forces, I think it is a valuable thing to teach. As they see veterans honored, as they see the flag being respected, and patriotic music being sung as they participate in it, I think it helps bring a little bit stronger value and respect towards their country than they would have had otherwise. It’s just inspiring to have them come together to do something like this.” And for Mark, carrying on his father’s legacy is a work of love. “I’m very proud of my dad, of what he did, of what he started,” he said. “He was the one that inspired me to go into the profession that I am in. Seeing him work, and seeing the joy that it brought back into his life and the lives of his students, it encouraged me to do the same thing.”

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LEGACY IN GOOD HANDS Throughout the years, numerous conductors have come and gone, and thousands of students have performed in honor of Utah veterans. “This will be my 21st year participating in this concert, seventh as commander,” said Saunders, commander of the 23rd Army Band. “In addition to this, I couldn’t tell you how many concerts I have done with the band. Well into the hundreds I am sure. This concert has always been the highlight of my year. When the concert ends each year and members of the audience come to me to thank me, often with tears in their eyes, it fills me with a tremendous sense of gratitude for what they have done for me and the opportunity that I have to participate in this event that honors them.” When Saunders took the reins from his predecessor, Mike Cottam, in 2009, he felt a great sense of responsibility to uphold the standards and traditions of the concert. “For my first concert as commander, I remember the tremendous sense of responsibility I felt to carry on the tradition of this great concert in a manner that strenghtened a proper tribute to the veterans and that maintained or exceeded the quality of the concerts that had gone on before,” said Saunders. n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

FA R L E F T: 19 6 1 Ve te ra n s D a y Co n ce r t a t t h e Ta b e r n a c l e o n Te m p l e S q u a re . L E F T: No r m We n d e l l , f o r m e r 2 3 rd A r m y B a n d co n d u c to r. B E LOW: Ke l l y Pe a rce , f o r m e r G ra n i te S c h o o l D i s t r i c t co n d u c to r. c o u r t e s y p h o t o s o f t h e u ta h n at i o n a l guard

2 0 1 5 V E T E R A N S DAY C O N C E RT We d n e s d a y, Nov. 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 Un i ve r s i t y o f U t a h Jo n M . Hu n t s m a n Ce n te r Fre e a n d O p e n to t h e P u b l i c ON THE PROGRAM U t a h Na t i o n a l G u a rd 2 3 rd A r m y B a n d G ra n i te S c h o o l D i s t r i c t Hi g h S c h o o l C h o i r s Z i o n s B a n k w i l l p re s e n t i t s s i x t h a n n u a l Ve te ra n s S e r v i ce Awa rd to D e n n i s How l a n d , f o r h i s m a n y ye a r s s e r v i n g a s a n a d vo c a te f o r V i e t n a m - e ra ve te ra n s . T h e U TA H P TA i n t ro d u ce s t h e 2 0 1 5 m i l i t a r y e s s a y co n te s t w i n n e r s .

“This is one of the largest Veterans Day concerts put on by a military band. I am not aware of any other National Guard band or even active duty band that puts on a Veterans Day concert of this magnitude. Although I have become a little more comfortable with my role as commander since then, I still feel that same sense of responsibility as it pertains to this concert each year.” When asked if there was a specific Veterans Day concert that stood out to him, Saunders didn’t hesitate with his response. “The greatest memory of this event for me was the year we did the theme ‘Stories Untold’ and we did spotlights of veterans from each of the branches of the Armed Forces,” said Saunders. “For the Army, we did a spotlight on my grandfather n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

who served in WWII. I had the privilege of reading his story and it is certainly a memory that means much to me. I know the experience meant much to him as well. Since we have begun doing spotlights at our concerts, I think it has really added a personal touch to the concert.”

ONE LAST CURTAIN CALL Nearly 17 years after Wendell retired as the conductor of the 23rd Army Band, he and the other surviving former 23rd Army Band conductors, Ralph Vanderlinden and Mike Cottam, will return to the stage for one last curtain call. And while this year’s concert pays tribute to the work that he and the other former band members, conductors and students have done in years past, this event is about the veterans that have served our nation. “To me, personally, it’s just a way to thank our veterans,” said Wendell. “It’s a way to thank anybody that serves in the military, whether they are a veteran as defined in battle, been deployed with the National Guard, the Air Guard or any of the other services. It’s a way of saying thank you. We know that there’s been sacrifice, and we want to let you know that we appreciate it.” va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

A m e r i c a n p a ra t ro o p e r s f l o a t to e a r t h b e h i n d C o m m u n i s t l i n e s i n t h e M u n s a n a r e a n o r t hwe s t o f S e o u l , Ko re a , M a rc h 2 3 , 19 5 1 . T h e s k y t ro o p e r s we r e j o i n e d by a n a r m o re d co l u m n a s t h e Re d s a tt e m p t e d to s u r ro u n d a n d w i p e t h e m o u t . a p f i l e p h o t o

KO R E A I T S M E M O RY S T I L L L I V E S FOR THOSE WHO WERE THERE A Co l l e c t i o n o f S to r i e s

he Korean War has “earned” its place in history. It’s dubbed the “Forgotten War,” not by the men who fought but by a public seemingly detached from it. First off, get one thing straight: it was not a damn “conflict” or a silly “police action.” It was a war, a particularly vicious, bloody, widely misunderstood and yes, somewhat forgotten war.

VALOR is an apt title for this magazine. It reflects the preservation and horror of what occurred in a handful of days and nights at a frozen-over lake in an obscure part of a largely unknown nation. For decades, Korea was mostly left to scholars and academics. In July 1950, when the three-year war erupted, Korea was trying to rediscover itself as a sovereign nation after 40 years of oppressive colonization by Japan. That ended in August 1945, the close of World War II. Korea was arbitrarily divided at the 38th Parallel between a tenuously democratic South and a dictatorial communist North. But before Korea had a chance to rebuild, the North invaded the South.

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A m e r i c a n G I s o l d i e r s a re c a r r i e d o n t h e b a c k s o f o t h e r G I s f r o m H e a r t b re a k R i d g e t h ro u g h t h e ra i n to a n a i d s t a t i o n j u s t b e h i n d t h e f ro n t l i n e s i n S o u t h Ko re a o n O c t . 5 , 19 5 1 , d u r i n g t h e Ko re a n Wa r. T h e 2 n d D i v i s i o n G I s , wo u n d e d i n a n a m b u s h a s t h e y c a m e o ff t h e R i d g e f o r a t wo - d a y re s t , h a d s p e n t t wo we e k s i n t h e l i n e d u r i n g t h e h e i g h t o f t h e b l o o d y b a tt l e o n t h e e a s t c e n t ra l f ro n t . a p f i l e p h o t o

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THE CHOSIN FEW HOW CAN ONE FORGET WHEN HELL FROZE OVER? b y J. B y ro n S i m s

editor, the chosin few newsletter

n the Korean War’s, first five months of bitter fighting, South Korea was nearly overr un before United Nations forces (16 countries took par t) beat back the overextended Nor th Korean troops. In September, the United States made a fateful decision to cross the 38th Parallel and pursue the routed Nor th Koreans to the Yalu River, at the Chinese border. Communist China warned it couldn’t ignore the threat of advancing U.N. forces. When the warning went unheeded, the giant countr y made good on its threat. With a limitless supply of manpower, the Red Chinese entered the war. The Chinese split their forces on two sides of a towering and r ugged nor th-south mountain range. The U.S. Eighth Army faced them on the west. In the east, U.S. Marines and GIs of X Corps were bucking a bitter, wintr y wind as they str uggled to advance to the Yalu. When they arrived at the Chosin Reser voir (a Japanese name, Changjin in Korean), they too split up, Marines on the west side, soldiers on the east. A common fault through the years has been to equate the respective strengths of the Marine and Army components. The two regiments of the lst Marine Division were largely made up of WWII veterans, especially officers and top noncoms. They had full, superbly trained rosters, their own ar tiller y, some armor, and most impor tantly, their own air suppor t. The Army situation was just the opposite. Although designated RCT-31 (regimental combat team from the 31st Infantr y Regiment), which on paper would mirror the Marine contingent, in reality the RCT was a grab-bag of GIs from disparate commands. Fe w of the units had trained together; GIs didn’t know their “buddies,” much less their leaders. There was little unit cohesion. The RCT had been brought “up to strength” by adding teenage South Koreans who were vir tually kidnapped, given brief training and sent, terrified, into action. Fe w could speak English; they “buddied up” with GIs to learn a fe w words and how to use their weapons.

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“HELL, WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO GET OUT OF THERE.” Charles V. “Skip” Anderson b r a n c h : Marines s e rv e d : 1949-52 h o m e tow n : Springville / Orem, Utah Back in 1949, a group of guys and I traveled to Provo to enlist in the Navy. But the Navy wouldn’t let me in because I was 17 and needed my mother’s consent. So my buddy, Bob Kensinger, and I went to Salt Lake and got a copy of my birth certificate and with a stroke of the pen, I was a Marine. It was an awful experience. The Marines were tough. We were shipped off alphabetically, so I was one of the first to go and found myself at the Chosin Reservoir. Rumor was if we could reach the Yalu River by Thanksgiving, we’d be home for Christmas. That didn’t happen. We advanced rapidly, until we hit the Chosin. We didn’t know it at the time, but 200,000 Chinese had entered the war and were advancing towards us. On the night of Nov. 27, we were on guard duty at Headquarters guarding the main supply line. About 2 o’clock in the morning, we were told to go back to our company down south. So we got a jeep and a trailer and loaded up our 13-man squad and headed out. We went around a bend in the road and came face-to-face with a couple hundred Chinese. They all started shooting at us. They shot that Jeep all to pieces. I rolled out of the trailer and ran up the cut-bank and looked directly into the barrel of a machine gun five feet away and a startled gunner. Bullets flew between my legs. I dove off a 12-foot bank and fell head first into a ditch. The fall knocked the wind out of me. I got my breath back and caught up with the rest of my crew and made it back to an aid station. The corpsmen were too busy treating the seriously wounded to treat my leg. I told them to give me a bandage and I’d take care of it myself. I sat in the warming tent watching corpsmen juggle vials of morphine in their mouths to prevent it from freezing. They were stacking the dead outside, covering them with straw and canvas. I went into the back part of the tent, found a corner and curled up in a sleeping bag. That’s the only reason I survived that night. I got warm for the first time in several days. It would be the last time for several more. It was cold, cold, and getting colder. It was 30 or 40 degrees below zero during the day. Nights were unbearable. Most of the time we ate snow, but it caused our lips to blister and bleed. Besides drinking sickbay alcohol, we ate Tootsie Rolls. Everything else was frozen. Later my squad got back together and spent the next days fighting to survive as we struggled to reach Hagaru. I was wounded a couple more times. I found out only two guys and myself survived from my original squad. I feel bad that I survived and they didn’t. I can’t imagine how I survived; I just did. I’m not sure why.

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Those were the allied forces when the Chinese began their surprise, multi-division, multi-pronged attack in late November on each side of the reser voir. Their orders: cr ush the Marines, overr un the Army units, encircle and finish off any left alive. They came close. For four days and five nights the two sides grappled in a death str uggle in bone-chilling temperatures never experienced by most Americans. GIs hadn’t been issued winter clothing (the Marines had). They just pulled on as many layers as they could. Their r ubberized boots kept out water, but made feet sweat. When sweat froze, so did feet. Chinese troops had it much worse. They wore tennis shoes and cotton-padded pants and tunics. Sometimes their feet became solid blocks of ice. RCT-31’s medical staff was over whelmed. Wounded men were placed in sleeping bags outside of packed aid stations to wait for care. Luckily, the extreme cold stanched the loss of blood, saving many lives. The dead, frozen stiff, were stacked in piles. The deep free ze was bad enough; the horrific slaughter on both sides was worse. If not for the constant (weather permitting) close air suppor t by Navy, Marine and Army fighter-bombers, the Chinese would have prevailed. Grindingly, the west-side Marines fought their way back to Hagar u at the reser voir’s south end. They scraped off a rough airstrip so the wounded could be airlifted. On the east, the battered Army units formed a tr uck convoy carr ying wounded and dead. The column attempted to ram through an 11-mile gauntlet of unending gunfire from surrounding Chinese. It was a desperate, heroic and tragic n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

“YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOURSELF. YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.” David Weaver branch : Marines served : 1949-1952 h o m e tow n : Mansfield, Ohio / Sandy, Utah We arrived in Japan on Aug. 29, my 18th birthday, and that made me eligible to be part of the landing at Inchon. After boot camp, I trained in 1st Battalion with Weapons Company. I was a gunner on a flamethrower, rocket launcher, mortar and machine gun. I learned to be combat ready first, then they transferred me to 2nd Battalion where I trained with communications—radio, wire and such. So when I got to Korea, I volunteered as a forward observer because I knew all the weapons and how they worked.

A s to n i s h e d Ma r i n e s o f t h e 5 t h a n d 7 t h Re g i m e n t s , w h o h u r l e d b a c k a s u r p r i s e o n s l a u g h t by t h re e C h i n e s e Co m m u n i s t d i v i s i o n s , h e a r t h a t t h ey a re to w i t h d raw. In f i ve d a ys a n d n i g h t s o f b e l ow- z e ro w i n d s a n d i c y ro a d s , f ro m Nov. 2 8 to D e c . 3 , t h ey f o u g h t b a c k 1 5 m i l e s t h ro u g h C h i n e s e h o rd e s to Ha g a r u - r i , o n t h e s o u t h e r n t i p o f C h o s i n Re s e r vo i r, w h e re t h ey re o rg a n i z e d f o r t h e e p i c , 4 0 - m i l e f i g h t d ow n m o u n t a i n t ra i l s to t h e s e a . T h ey b ro u g h t o u t t h e i r wo u n d e d a n d t h e i r e q u i p m e n t . d e f e n s e d e pa r t m e n t ( m a r i n e c o r p s ) p h o t o / s g t . f . c . k e r r

effor t. Halfway to Hagar u the column collapsed from loss of men and leadership. Singly or in small groups, sur vivors agonizingly tr udged over the frozen reser voir to reach Hagar u’s guarded confines. Shor tly would come another ordeal—64 death-ridden miles for a Marine-Army column of vehicles and marchers, ending in welcome respite on troop transpor ts waiting at the coast. Valor shone ever y step of the way. The Korean battlefield is still a resting place for the fallen. U.S. remains—recover y work continues to this day. Many have been identified and returned home for burial with honor. For the families, it is always another painful re-remembrance of a “Forgotten War.” J. Byron Sims is a retired writer-editor who lives in Salt Lake City. He is a Korean War veteran but was not at Chosin. Since 2002 he has been newsletter editor for the Ar my Chapter of The Chosin Fe w, a national organization of veterans. Sims ser ved for 10 years on the planning committee for Veterans Day commemorations at the University of Utah. n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

Being an observer for the battalion, I was always on patrol. I could be with either Dog, Easy or Fox companies, whichever had the point for that day. Even if we were stuck in place, we’d go out in these hills, mountains; always looking for the enemy. Matter of fact one night, we got in this gully and up come this Chinaman over the top of the hill and dropped his drawers. And I thought, “Ooh ‘kay, he’s close enough to do his business, so who’s just over the edge?” So you’d line your sights up, call it in, drop some mortars over them. Poof. And we’d do it again. The Chinese were almost 10-to-1 against us. They’d just run in, waving hands, blowing whistles, making noise. It was weird. Some of them didn’t have weapons. They’d pick up a rifle from the dead and keep coming. It was hard to get supplies, they had to fly them in. Occasionally they’d accidently drop supplies into the Chinese areas—they loved that. I don’t blame them. It’d get like 40 below, 100 mph winds; you’d freeze instantly. If you grew up in the country, it really helped. My dad taught us as kids to do what the fox would do—dig a hole, burrow in, get below the frost layer, use your body heat, keep warm. We were glad to just get out. We brought almost 98,000 refugees with us, the size of a fair-sized town. When we got down to the ocean, a bunch of us that hadn’t had a shower in the whole time we were in country—almost a couple of months—just stripped down, jumped into the ocean with a bar of soap. We didn’t care how cold it was. We didn’t care who was looking or not. It was pleasurable. “Ahhh. Get clean.” RETURN TRIP AT 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: What a difference. The South Koreans were so nice. Whenever they saw those who saved their country, they would come up to you and say, “Thank you, thank you.” Then just go on their way.

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F i g h t i n g Eq u i p m e n t a n d s u p p l i e s p o u r a s h o re a t Wo n s a n , N o r t h Ko r e a , o n O c t . 2 6 , 19 5 2 , a s l a n d i n g c ra ft c h u r n t h ro u g h t h e h a r b o r wa t e r s w i t h a d d i t i o n a l c a rg o f o r t h e 5 0 , 0 0 0 t ro o p s l a n d e d e a r l i e r i n t h e d a y. T h e c o a s t a l p o r t h a s b e co m e o n e o f t h e b u s i e s t s u p p l y c e n t e r s f o r a l l i e d f o rc e s d r i v i n g towa rd t h e M a n c h u r i a n b o r d e r a g a i n s t s t i ff e n e d Re d re s i s t a n c e . a p f i l e p h o t o / f r a n k n o e l

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TIONAL NA GU

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B AT T L E AT K A P YO N G T H E S T O RY O F T H E U TA H N AT I O N A L G U A R D ’ S 2 1 3 T H F I E L D A R T I L L E RY B AT TA L I O N b y Ca p t . Ry a n S u t h e r l a n d u ta h n at i o n a l g u a r d

w i t h E xc e r p t s f r o m “ T h e M i r a c l e a t Ka p Yo n g : t h e S t o r y o f t h e 2 1 3 t h” p ro d u ce d by S o u t h e r n U t a h U n i ve r s i t y, C o m m u n i c a t i o n s D e p a r t m e n t

he Battle at Kapyong: The stor y of the Utah National Guard’s 213th Field Ar tiller y Battalion is more than an account of ordinar y men from southern Utah who sur vived one of the most dangerous and heavily outnumbered battles in the Korean War. It is a stor y of faith, brotherhood and valor; a testament that ordinar y men in difficult times can do extraordinar y things. On June 25, 1950, war was waged on the Korean Peninsula when the Nor th Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th Parallel, attacking several key points along the parallel and headed south towards Seoul. The United Nations Security Council responded with a resolution condemning the invasion as a “breach of peace.” President Harr y S. Tr uman quickly committed American forces to a combined United Nations militar y effor t and named Gen. Douglas MacAr thur commander of the U.N. forces. Fifteen other nations also sent troops under the U.N. command. Tr uman did not seek a formal declaration of war from Congress; officially, America’s presence in Korea amounted to no more than a “police action.” (https://www.archives.gov/education/ lessons/korean-conflict/, n.d.) On Aug. 3, 1950, the 213th Field Ar tiller y Battalion of the Utah National Guard was activated into federal ser vice to suppor t Allied forces in Korea.

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Militar y tradition and patriotism run deep in the rural communities in southern Utah, and like many other small communities across the nation, the impact of war would touch the entire community. The unit was not only comprised of educators, farmers, coal workers and other trades that supported the local economy; but was made up of brothers, cousins, uncles and friends; all raised in southern Utah. The potential loss of nearly 500 men in combat would have been devastating to the entire community. Sgt. Conrad Grimshaw (Ser vice Batter y) recalls: “ To have 52 young men out of a community the size of Beaver or these other communities, it was really a shocking time for these people. It brought the community closer together than it’s been for a long time.” Lt. Col. Frank Dalley of Summit was the commander of the 213th headquartered in Cedar City. Dalley, a seasoned veteran of World War II, knew most of these soldiers were new to the rigors of war, and he shouldered the responsibility of their welfare like a father caring for his sons. “Early in 1951, I found myself in Korea in command of a field artiller y battalion with the immediate prospects of taking these men into battle against the Communists,” Dalley recounted after the War on the nationally renowned Edward Murrow radio show. “Many of them were relatives of personal friends, and practically all of them were from my hometown or nearby communities. With this to face, I knew I must have help. I was taught from childhood to seek help from God through prayer. I had always believed in God as a supreme being and believed in the power of prayer. But the events that happened early in my battalion’s participation in the Korean War did much to strengthen this belief.” The unit departed Seattle, Wash., on Jan. 26, 1951, aboard the United States Naval Ship General M. C. Meigs, and landed in Pusan, South Korea, on Feb. 16, 1951. It was clear to these Utah soldiers that they were stepping foot on a countr y that was ravaged by war. After weeks of additional training, the 213th was thrust into combat. On April 22, 1951, the first rounds were fired by the 213th during the Korean conflict. Over the coming months, repeated advancements, withdrawals and skirmishes with the enemy kept the unit sharp in the early stages of the deployment.

N O B O DY S L E E P S TO N I G H T On May 26, 1951, as American and U.N. forces pushed the offensive northward, the 213th found itself in the mountainous region of Kapyong, an important road and rail location just south of the 38th Parallel. The job of artiller y batteries was to support the infantr y’s advance on the enemy with artiller y. The 213th employed

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L i e u te n a n t Co l o n e l L e o n B . Hu m p h rey, CO 2 1 3 t h F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a tt a l i o n , U. S . E i g h t h A r m y ( r i g h t f o re g ro u n d ) , p u l l s t h e l a n ya rd o n “ n o r t h e a s t g u n” o f B a tte r y A , 2 1 3 t h F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a tt a l i o n , to s e n d t h e 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 t h ro u n d o f a m m u n i t i o n f i re d by t h e 2 1 3 t h a t C h i n e s e co m m u n i s t p o s i t i o n s . L- r : S g t . D. L . C h r i s te n s e n o f R i c h f i e l d , U t a h ; M /S g t . A . E . C raw f o rd o f Ty l e r, Texa s ; Co l o n e l Hu m p h rey, Ca p t . C h a r l e s H . Ya r b e r o f L o u i sv i l l e , Ky. , CO, B a tte r y A ; Ma j o r G e ra l d C . Mo rg a n o f S i o u x C i t y, Iowa , E xe c u t i ve O ff i ce r, 2 1 3 t h F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a tt a l i o n ; a n d Ca p t . Jo h n P. L a m b o f St . G e o rg e , U t a h , A s s i s t a n t S - 3 O ff i ce r. s i g n a l c o r p s p h o t o / d o y l e

105mm howitzers which could shell the enemy’s position at a distance up to seven miles. Headquarters and Able Batter y were encamped at the mouth of a narrow valley. Ser vice, Baker and Charlie batteries were positioned some distance behind, providing artiller y fire for the 21st Infantr y that was engaged in an offensive attack. That evening, Lt. Col. Dalley sent out patrols to assess the situation. “ The Republic of Korea forces we were supporting at that time fell back without warning us, making it possible for the Communist forces to practically surround us without being detected,” said Dalley. “ When my liaison officer, who had been sent out to establish contact with the Korean forces, returned with the information that all friendly forces had fallen back and we were alone, the extreme seriousness of our situation was immediately apparent to me.” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

“WE HAD A COMMANDER THAT KNEW WHAT TO DO. HE GAVE DIRECTION, WE FOLLOWED.” Glen Ogden b r a n c h : UNG 213th Battery A s e rv e d : 1949-79, 1 year in Korea h o m e tow n : Richfield, Utah Enlisted in the Guard right out of high school and went to war with my buddies, 10 from Richfield. It was nice to be around familiar people. I remember Donald Christensen. One day we were back off the firing lines, got a game of baseball going and he was in the field. A guy hit the ball right over where he was and thump—he was gone, out of sight. He just disappeared. He had stepped into one of those honey wells. It was quite a laugh. He just walked right out into the river, clothes and all. Stripped down and let the river just take it all away. I was the company recorder. We sat at a bank of telephones, 24/7. We relayed messages between companies, kept track of ammo, rounds fired, coordinates to fire and commands to fire. Wasn’t much decision making on my part. We just followed orders. We did a few weeks of training, then went up on the firing line. We would fire everyday, shoot the howitzer; we were always in support of somebody, usually the South Koreans. They would give us info and we’d fire on those targets. In our battle at Kapyong, the night was pitch black. You could hear the enemies’ voices. There was so much confusion. It was difficult to know what to do, who the enemy was. We were in South Korea and over there was North Korea. They were the same people, same language, same everything. No one dared to do anything. We wouldn’t shoot at them and they wouldn’t shoot us. That’s how they got by us. Finally, with daylight, you could tell who was who. And then, all hell broke lose. If you looked at the differences between us and them, there was no comparison. The enemy had no organization, no direction, no training. Our unit was well trained. Our guys were exceptional in what they did. Everything went like we had rehearsed it again and again. And we had trained and trained. All those bullets coming in and out of everywhere. You can’t tell me the Lord wasn’t there, otherwise, how can 240 men stand up against an army of 4,000, beat them and not lose a man? RETURN TRIP AT 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: It was like having a chunk of salt back then and a diamond now. It’s amazing what they were and where they are now. South Korean children are taught what the Americans and U.N. troops did for them. South Koreans don’t want following generations to forget the sacrifices made. 213th

f i e l d a r t i l l e r y b at ta l i o n p h o t o s

courtesy

[ret.]

col. daniel roberts

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Lt . Co l . Fr a n k D a l l e y

t h e p r e s i d e n t i a l u n i t c i tat i o n r e a d s HEADQUARTERS and HEADQUARTERS BATTERY and BATTERY A , 213th ARMOURED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, displayed such unshakable determination and gallantry in accomplishing their mission under extremely diff icult and hazardous conditions as to set them apart and above other units participating in the action. The extraordinary heroism displayed by the members of these units ref lects great credit on themselves and upholds the highest traditions of the military service of the United States.

213th

f i e l d a r t i l l e r y b at ta l i o n p h o t o s

courtesy

[ret.]

va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta hâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

col. daniel roberts

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The order went out: Nobody sleeps tonight. Under the cover of darkness, American and Allied infantr y units moved for ward in an attempt to encircle about 4,000 Chinese soldiers. As a result of the attack, thousands of Chinese soldiers attempted to retreat from the offensive through the only escape route available to them, through the mouth of the canyon occupied by the 213th. With no infantr y protection, 240 Utahns came face-toface with 4,000 enemy Chinese soldiers. The ensuing battle was pure chaos. Men grabbed their weapons and established defensive positions. “ You could look any direction, it didn’t matter which way you looked, there were Chinese,” said Sgt. Wesley Chadburn, Headquarters Batter y. “ We were totally surrounded.” “It seemed like ever ywhere you looked, somebody was dug in a hole, or hiding behind a bush,” added Sgt. Robert Osborn, Headquarters Batter y. The enemy fought fiercely to break their way through the valley. Soldiers from the 213th fired directly at the charging enemy, fuses were set to the half second, exploding shrapnel directly over the enemies’ heads. As the Chinese soldiers pushed for ward, soldiers from Headquarters and Able batteries were thrust into intense hand-to-hand combat. “For moments, I suppose, I was almost dazed,” Dalley explained when considering the safety of the men he was responsible for. “ Then instinctively, my thoughts turned to God and I knew that our safety was in the hands of our maker. The change that took place in my feelings and the events that took place almost immediately are hard to explain. It became clear to me the course that we must follow, and all the men calmly responded to a rapid series of instructions.” The artiller ymen involved in hand-to-hand combat held their ground, which enabled Baker and Charlie batteries to continue firing missions in support of the distant infantr y. Ser vice Batter y continued to deliver vital supplies and ammo in often impossible conditions as the battle raged throughout the night. As dawn broke, the battle abated. And in a temporar y lull, Able Batter y Commander, Capt. Ray Cox, organized a combat patrol with 18 men, one howitzer and three machine guns; they attacked the Chinese. “Nine on each side of that tank, we went right up through that canyon, killing like you can’t imagine,” said Gordon Farnsworth, Headquarters Batter y. “ We came out into a little valley, and here were Chinese by the hundreds. I thought this was where I would meet my maker.” To Farnsworth’s amazement, the Chinese soldiers started to lay their guns down and raise their hands. Not one shot was fired. “ There were 98 of them in that little valley; me and another man brought those 98 back to headquarters. The Chinese prisoners that we took that could speak English said, ‘we shoot them, but they don’t fall.’” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

“CULTURE SHOCK OF MY LIFE. I THOUGHT WHAT THE HELL HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?” Rondo Farrer b r a n c h : UNG 213th Service Battery s e rv e d : 1949-52 h o m e tow n : Beaver, Utah We were the first class that wasn’t drafted right out of high school. So when the National Guard opened, most of us signed up thinking this was a way to stay out of the draft and get on with our lives. While attending the University of Utah, I was with a unit based out of Salt Lake. At home, my dad was president of the local draft board. The Sunday before the war broke out, he called and said I was to transfer back down to the 213th. So the following day, I did. On Aug. 19, we were called to active duty and off we went. It was a strange situation to think you were in college one year and the next you were in a damn foreign country where you didn’t even know where it was. You could smell Korea for 30 miles before you could even see land. In Pusan they ran sewage right out into the ocean. It was dirty. No public restrooms. Everything was done right out in the open. Women nursing babies. For 19- and 20-year old country boys, it was quite an experience. There were 17 boys out of our graduating class that went to Korea together. I remember mail call. We would sit around and read letters to each other. It was nice to know who was getting married, having babies and who was passing. Because the news mattered to us all. I was assigned to Service Battery as a wheel-track mechanic. We weren’t a firing battery. We had a maintenance section, supply section, ammo section—all the gasoline, all the bullets, all the food, anything we needed or used. The batteries would send in their orders and we’d deliver when we could. There was only one road going through the valley and everyone used it—friend and enemy alike. That night in Kapyong, we were on a run to fuel the guns and trucks. We double loaded those 50 gallon drums instead of taking two trucks. We were carrying 1,000 gallons of gasoline. We’d found a gas pump and we could fuel a whole battery in minutes. That’s what saved us and our units. We were fully loaded and mobile when the enemy hit us. The fight was chaotic; both enemies and refugees were coming out of the woodwork. If you’ve ever seen a flock of sheep pour down a hillside, you have an idea of what we were up against. The day after, we swept up 863 prisoners, destroyed hundreds of captured weapons, tended the wounded and took time to bury the enemy. RETURN TRIP AT 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: I don’t know what I expected on the return, but I know what I left. People were living under railroad passes, in sheds, boxes, bombedout buildings. And now there are cities, factories and shipyards. Impressive. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

“ S O U T H E R N U TA H ’ S P R I D E ” 2 2 2 N D FA TA K E S U P T H E B A N N E R A fervor of patriotism ripples across southern Utah. The root of this patriotism is embodied in the 222nd Field Artillery Unit of the Utah National Guard—commonly known as “Southern Utah Pride,” “The Triple Deuce” and “The Golden Boys.” For generations, men have left their wives, children and livelihoods to answer the call of freedom. The absence of these soldiers not only left holes in the hearts of their loved ones, but in the communities as a whole. These men were educators, medical personnel, policemen, farmers, businessmen and civic personnel. They were young—in the beginning stages of their lives. However, they answered the call to serve and their communities rallied behind them.

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This portrait of freedom spans generations. The 222 traces its heritage to 1841—the Nauvoo Legion numbering 1,492 men. By 1845, their numbers reached 5,000. Summoned by U.S. President James K . Polk in 1846, the majority of the 500 men forming the Mormon Battalion were members of the Nauvoo Legion. They walked 2,000 miles for their God, their country, their wives and their families. Various batteries of the 222nd served in the Mexican War, Territorial Militia, Walker Indian War, and The Black Hawk Indian War. Batteries from the 222nd included Battery E (Richfield), Battery F (Cedar City), and the Headquarter Battery in Beaver received service credit for the Civil War. In 1894, Utah was close to achieving statehood. Members of the militia to this point consisted of all able-bodied men between ages 18 and 45. The militia was formally recognized as the Utah National Guard. The 20th Century summoned men for battle. Units from the 222nd FA served as the 145th in World War I. World War II brought restructuring within the guard units. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of 222nd were joined by the 3rd Battalion and re-designated as the 204th Field Artillery Regiment. This unit took part in various campaigns in WWII including Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. The Post World War II period again brought restructuring to the 222nd FA. In March 1947, the Triple Deuce known as the 204th FA was reorganized and re-designated as the 213th and attached to the 145th. On August 3 1950, the 213th was inducted into Federal service. The Golden Boys began their trek of miracles. Of the 19 field artillery units summoned to battle in the Korean Conflict, the 213th was the only one not to lose a soldier. They became known as the “Mormon Battalion,” “the Six Hundred Stripling Warriors.”

b e yo n d ko r e a Freedom was “cold” and quiet in southern Utah and throughout the world in the years that followed the Korean Conflict. In 1972, the 222nd was organized to its present

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Fa m i l i e s we l c o m e h o m e t h e Tr i p l e D u e c e a fte r t h e i r 2 0 0 5 d e p l oy m e n t t o I r a q . c o u r t e s y p h o t o

state. From January to March 2002, the 222nd provided security during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It wasn’t until Sept. 11, 2001 that the 222nd knew terror was on the rise when the United States was attacked on its own land. In March 2002, the 222nd was activated for war in Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom. Shortly thereafter, the mission changed. The 222nd was deployed to Ft. Lewis, Wash., to provide logistical support to the ROTC. Future missions for the 222nd included January 2005 through June 2006 Camp Ramadi and June through December 2011 Baghdad, both in Iraq. The 2005 deployment for the 222nd stripped southern Utah once again of its youth—500 soldiers were sent to Iraq. For the soldiers, times in Iraq were far from pleasant. The Triple Deuce was assigned difficult missions under bad conditions. But following the examples of their predecessors the soldiers gathered around their Humvees and prayed before each mission. All 500 soldiers from Utah came home. In 2011, the Triple Deuce returned to Iraq to turn the lights out on Baghdad. On their last deployment the “Golden Boys” of the 222nd were given gold coins as a good luck token. But the tokens represented far more than that. They represented a legacy of faith, they embodied the prayers said daily on their behalf around kitchen tables and at bedsides. The ripple of patriotism continues today with the “Pride of southern Utah.” —by Amy Rigby

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During the night, the 24th Marine Infantr y Division sent three tanks up the valley to assist the artiller ymen. Retreating Chinese soldiers attempted to retreat up the steep surrounding mountain slopes, but quickly scattered under an intense artiller y barrage. Eventually, Chinese forces returned in retreat with their hands raised in surrender. With the roar of the guns stilled, the 213th assessed the causalities and cost of lives during the all-night attack. Hundreds of enemy soldiers lay wounded or dead, and more than 800 Chinese soldiers surrendered. American and U.N. forces had suffered their own casualties, and aside from injuries, not one casualty was from the Utah National Guard.

A L A S T I N G L EGACY More than 60 years have passed since the U.S. sent the Utah National Guard’s 213th Field Artiller y Battalion to defend South Korea. For the men that ser ved, the years may have healed the wounds of that battle, but there is no forgetting. Their ser vice, their friendship, and their faith, will always be their bond. And for the South Koreans that the Utahns were sent to defend, there is no forgetting the valor that these soldiers from Utah exhibited in defense of their countr y.

The officers instructed the soldiers to search and disarm the enemy prisoners of war, form them up in columns, and allow them to go down the mountain.

In September 2008, South Korean Deputy Consul General Sung W. Shin, attended the dedication of the Korean War Memorial at the Rotar y Centennial Veterans Park located in Cedar City.

Before rejoining the infantr y, the citizen-soldiers performed an act that showed the war had not changed the fabric of who they were as men. They paused long enough to bur y the enemy dead.

“ The Korean War is sometimes called the ‘Forgotten War,’” said Shin. “ This is simply not true. The Korean government will never forget your dedication, sacrifices and suffering on behalf of the Republic of Korea.”

The soldiers from the 213th continued their quest on the Korean Peninsula, and by October and November, most of the original members rotated home.

In October 2009, the mayor of Cedar City, Mayor Gerald Sherratt, and Gapyeong Mayor, Lee Jin-Yong, signed an official document to become sister cities—an agreement to share cultural, economic and educational bonds.

On Jan. 25, 1952, Maj. Gen. Willard Wyman, commanding general of IX Corps, stood before the few remaining original members of Able and Headquarters Batter y, to award the Presidential Unit Citation; the highest award a unit can receive. The unit also received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, for the valor and courage they displayed during the battle at Kapyong. Beyond the valor displayed during their ser vice on the Korean Peninsula, particularly the night of May 26, the 213th has a true distinction; returning with all its men. Like veterans from the wars that proceeded them, the men who left Utah a year earlier to fight in the battle in Korea, were different from the men who returned home. As one soldier put it, we went over as boys and came back as men.

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courtesy

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Most recently, to commemorate the 60th Anniversar y of the end of the Korean War, the South Korean government honored these Guardsmen, as well as other Korean War veterans, with a visit to the Korean War Memorial in Cedar City, followed by a two-hour luncheon at the Hunter Center on the Southern Utah University campus. “60 years of commitment—60 years of friendship,” said Director General Gong Wang Park from the Ministr y of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. “ The peace, prosperity and liberties that we cherish today are built on your soldiers’ selfless sacrifices and contributions. Korea’s forever indebted and will continue to build the trust and friendship between our nations.”

col. daniel roberts

va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

I n Au g u s t 19 5 0 f i l e p h o to, U. S . M a r i n e s h e l p a wo u n d e d b u d d y o n t h e N a k to n g R i ve r f ro n t i n S o u t h Ko re a . T h e wa r t h a t b e g a n i n Ko re a o n J u n e 2 5 , 19 5 0 , a g h a s t l y co n f l i c t t h a t k i l l e d m i l l i o n s a n d l e ft t h e p e n i n s u l a i n r u i n s , b e c a m e “ T h e Fo rg o tte n Wa r ” i n m a n y A m e r i c a n m i n d s . ap file photo / max desfor

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MEDALS FOR PEACE T W O B U D D I E S TA K E ON CHALLENGE TO HONOR U TA H ’ S KO R E A N WA R V E T S by Michelle Bridges va l o r

ecause of a lack of public attention, the Korean conflict is often called “ The Forgotten War” or “ The Unknown War.” John Cole, who fought in both World War II and Korea, says the former has been obscured by being sandwiched between World War II and Vietnam. Properly remembering veterans who fought in a conflict often described as “forgotten” is absolutely necessar y. Jay Wells, a Vietnam War veteran, is helping Cole to find them. It might be daunting, but the two Marines from northern Utah, say they’re on a mission to provide all Utah combat veterans of the Korean War with the Republic of South Korea’s “Ambassador for Peace Medal.” Cole and Wells, both combat veterans who work with the Utah Militar y Order of the Purple Heart, have been teaming with Consul General Han Dong-Man of the South Korea Consulate in San Francisco to provide Utahns with medals. The medals are made of reforged barbed wire har vested from fences at Korea’s 38th parallel, which marked the border between North and South Korea prior to the Korean War. Cole says the medals are “the ultimate token of appreciation from the South Korean government” to U.S. ser vice members who fought there some 60 years ago. “ We can’t let those from the Korean War, living or dead, be forgotten. And, that’s why we’re taking on this challenge,” says Cole.

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H OW D I D T H I S A L L B EG I N? Back in 2012, Cole was honored to receive a similar ser vice award commemorating the 60th anniversar y of the end of the Korean War. At the invitation of a Marine major, he and his wife traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the ceremonies. As they were headed to the main program, Cole chanced upon the media area where he was asked by a young South Korean journalist for an inter view. Down the line, other reporters and photographers, who spoke limited or no English, listened to Cole patiently share his stor y with the first journalist acting as an interpreter. Through these give-and-take inter views, Cole came to realize the South Korean people are so grateful for those that were involved in the war that helped save their nation. “ They don’t see it as the ‘forgotten war,’” he says. “ They see it as the ‘remembered war’ because they still have a nation.”

J o h n Co l e i s t h a n ke d by Han Dong-Man, co n s u l g e n e ra l o f t h e Re p u b l i c o f Ko re a , a t a ce r e m o n y honoring 181 Utahns who s e r ve d i n t h e Ko r e a n Wa r a t t h e C a p i to l i n S a l t L a ke City on Sept. 10, 2014. dseret news photo / laura seitz

ambassador for peace o f f i c i a l p r o c l a m at i o n r e a d s It is a great honor and pleasure to express the everlasting gratitude of the Republic of Korea and our people for the service you and your countrymen have performed in restoring and preserving our freedom and democracy. We cherish in our hearts the memory of your boundless sacrif ices in helping us reestablish our Free Nation. In grateful recognition of your dedicated contributions, it is our privilege to proclaim you an “A M B A S S A D O R F O R PEACE” with every good wish of people of the Republic or Korea. Let each of us reaff irm our mutual respect and friendship they may endure for generations to come.

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When Cole returned home, as president of the Utah Chapter of the Chosin Few, he was focused on its members having such an experience. However, working with awards secured from that Marine major back East, Cole hosted a ceremony for 30 Korean veterans at the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home. “ That’s when I turned to Jay and asked, ‘ Well what’s next?’” Cole says. Cole remembered a Mr. Lee that was at the dedication of the Chosin Few Monument a few years before and asked Wells if he could find a phone number for him. “Do you know that Lee is in Korea to what Smith is in America?” Wells deadpans. They followed a lead to the Korean American Federation of Utah—where they got lucky. Within a few short weeks they forged connections to local businessmen that do work for the South Korean government, officials at the countr y’s Embassy in San Francisco, and even those that talk directly to the President of the Republic of South Korea.

F I N D I N G U TA H V E T E R A N S O F T H E KO R E A N WA R The men began their search in 2013 and to date, say about 1,000 Utahns have received the medal. They’ve vetted another 500, but know there are many more out there. They gather discharge documents from veterans, verify ser vice records, and make sure they meet the eligibility requirements laid out by the South Korean government. “It’s simple,” says Wells. One, a veteran must be from Utah, and two, have ser ved in combat during the Korean Conflict between June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, when the Korean Armistice Agreement ended the war. According to Wells, that means “actually having boots on the ground; if they were in the Navy, in territorial waters; if they were in the Air Force, flying bombing or support missions over Korea. That’s the only way they qualify. Vets could be here in the States, but they don’t qualify.” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

J o h n Co l e ( l e ft ) a n d J a y We l l s m e e t d u r i n g a b i we e k l y b r e a k f a s t f o r P u r p l e H e a r t ve t e r a n s a t J e re m i a h’ s i n O g d e n . We l l s a n d C o l e h ave b e e n wo r k i n g to g e t h e r to t r y a n d g e t eve r y Ko re a n Wa r ve te ra n i n U t a h re co g n i z e d w i t h t h e “A m b a s s a d o r o f Pe a c e ” m e d a l . u ta h m e d i a g r o u p p h o t o

Then they relay the information to Consul General Dong-Man’s office. The San Francisco consulate then makes arrangements with South Korean officials, who ship the medals back to the United States. Cole says there are no costs associated with the medal, as it’s paid for entirely by the South Korean government.

to recognize assembled veterans and their families. Ever y time he shares his gratitude for the Korean War veterans’ ser vice. “ Without the heroism, valor and sacrifice of these Korean War veterans, our countr y would not have the peace, prosperity and economic growth that we enjoy today,” DongMan says.

“ When we started this we told the South Korean officials, if they would provide the medals, we would see that the veterans got them. We didn’t want to inconvenience the government in anyway,” Cole says.

Traditionally-dressed women from the Korean American Federation of Utah take part in the ceremonies. Both Cole and Wells have developed a deep respect for the Korean people. “ We’ve both learned how to bow as per their customs and they’ve learned to shake hands as is ours,” says Wells. “ The women have learned how to hug, they think hugging is good.”

The Utah Department of Veterans and Militar y Affairs facilitates the paper work already submitted by Korean War vets and helped with the first medal ceremony, but for the most part, Cole and Wells do all the work themselves. “Jay works the computer and I do the talking,” says Cole. Both men have been contacted by other states asking how they can get one of the peace medals. Wells explains they can’t because of the stipulations required by the South Korean government. “ We tell them they need to contact the appropriate consulate ser ving their area. We’re told they have and can’t get anywhere. Apparently, right now the South Korean government is only doing medals for Utah veterans.”

P U T T I N G T H E P I EC E S TO G E T H E R The first Peace Medal ceremony was held in September 2014 in the Capitol Rotunda where 181 veterans were recognized. Since then four additional ceremonies have been held throughout the state in Payson, Ivins and Ogden; with another one planned for Veterans Day, again at the Capitol. Members of the Republic of Korea’s government, including Dong-Man, have been present at each ceremony n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

“It seems like ever y single time we have a ceremony, more veterans hear about it,” Cole says. “And the list just keeps growing.” Not to worr y, though: Cole says the South Korean government has assured him they will continue the effort until they have recognized ever y foreign veteran. “Some people have told us it’s a project we’ll never finish, but what are we supposed to do?” Cole asks. “It’s a lot of work, tracking all these names down, but we want to get ever yone we possibly can.” The men foresee at least two more ceremonies early in 2016. Cole says he and Wells rely on word of mouth and media coverage to help publicize their project. Those who fought in Korea and have not received the medal and have not already submitted paper work should contact Cole at 801-690-6837 or Wells at 801-791-5392. Includes excerpts about the project from reports in the Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune and Standard-Examiner provided by John Cole. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

2 0 1 3 : KO R E A N P E N I N S U L A . Re p u b l i c o f Ko re a ( RO K ) a n d U. S . N av y s h i p s a re u n d e r wa y i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h t h e a i r c r a ft c a r r i e r U S S G e o rg e Wa s h i n g to n ( CV N 7 3 ) , c e n t e r. T h e G e o r g e Wa s h i n g to n C a r r i e r S t r i ke G ro u p i s co n d u c t i n g e xe r c i s e s w i t h t h e RO K N av y to s t re n g t h e n m a r i t i m e i n te ro p e ra b i l i t y a n d U. S .- RO K a l l i a n c e . u . s . n av y p h o t o . r e l e a s e d . / m a s s c o m m u n i c at i o n specialist 3rd class peter burghart

TO T H E S E A N AV Y F I N D S A P L A C E I N A L A N D - L O C K E D S TAT E b y Lt . C m d r. A p o l l o B u r g a m y n av y r e s e r v e s

uring Navy Week Salt Lake City, Sept. 7-13, 2015, an interesting trend emerged during the many interactions around the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. Mention of U.S. Navy presence here in Utah was sometimes met with puzzled looks and jokes about ships in the Great Salt Lake. To set the record straight, there are currently no U.S. Navy ships in the Great Salt Lake, but there are many Navy units that call nor thern Utah home base. Almost 400 Sailors live, train and work here in the state. These numbers include reser ve and active-duty Sailors ser ving across operational, educational and recr uiting functions.

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2015

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Many of Utah’s Sailors, Midshipmen and Cadets participated in community outreach events ranging from local school assembly presentations to “Caps for Kids” at Shriners Hospital for Children here in Salt Lake City. Navy Week also drew in out-of-state teams from Navy Band Northwest, Navy Leap Frogs, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, Off ice of Naval Research and the USS Constitution, which participated in activities across northern Utah.

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N AV Y C O M E S CA L L I N G During Navy Week Salt Lake City, senior leaders, Rear Adm. Rick Snyder and Rear Adm. Br uce Gillingham, shared the Navy stor y through engagements with local media outlets, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Militar y Affairs Committee, University of Utah, Intermountain Healthcare, the State of Utah and Salt Lake County leadership, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Center, the National Ability Center, and other civic and business organizations. Along with the Navy stor y, Navy Week was an oppor tunity to talk about innovations in technology and energy efficiency that help the fleet stay in the fight longer, refuel less and extend operational reach. America’s Navy stor y can be summarized in a concise statement: “being there matters.” Navy presence across the globe and around the clock ensures national security by preventing and deterring wars. Additionally, America’s Navy protects the U.S. economy by ensuring unimpeded flow of goods across shipping lanes and data communications transmitted via undersea cables. Innovations in alternative fuels as well as weapon technology such as the Laser Weapon System allow the Navy to meet the challenges in today’s conflicts. Aside from war fighting, America’s Navy is capable of conducting Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief operations in remote locations swiftly allowing for quick deployment of supplies and aid. The Navy and Utah are interdependent. Whether it be through economic mechanisms, shared technological advances, or a rich and long histor y.

N AV Y P R E S E N C E I N U TA H The relationship between the U.S. Navy and Utah is shown through a histor y of more than 30 namesake ships, three Medal of Honor recipients and a Naval Base. You may have heard of the USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) and USS Salt Lake City (CL-25/CA-25), but have you heard about the USS Br yce Canyon (AD-36) and USS Iron County (LST-840)? Currently the only namesake ship ser ving in the U.S. Navy is the USS Santaquin ( Y TB 824). Navy Capt. Mer vyn S. Bennion, Lt. Cmdr. William E. Hall, and Pharmicist’s Mate 2nd Class George E. Wahlen received the Medal of Honor for their actions during World War II. If you are a histor y buff, you may know about the Clear field Naval Supply Depot that was commissioned in 1943 as a strategic logistics hub. Clear field was selected due to its central location in the Western United States and considered to have stronger security from enemy attack during World War II. The Clear field Naval Supply Depot was utilized through the Korean War and was later phased out in 1962. n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

N AV Y R E S E RV E AT 1 0 0 “Ready Now, Ready Then, Ready Always.” This year the U.S. Navy Reser ve celebrates 100 years of histor y, dating back to March 3, 1915. Navy Reser vists trade their civilian clothes for Navy uniforms to build needed schools in Haiti, provide critical medical care in Afghanistan or fly relief supplies to Cuba. They have been there since the first U-boat surrendered in World War I, to enlist as the first women in the Navy in World War II, and treat casualties on the fields in Vietnam. They bring unique skillsets from their civilian jobs and militar y training. More than 350 Navy Reser ve Sailors train here in Utah. The majority of these Reser ve Sailors reside in the Greater Salt Lake metropolitan area, but some live in surrounding states such as Idaho and Wyoming. Reser ve Sailors move to Utah to be near family, access specialized jobs, and in some cases, to live near outdoor recreation. “ The Navy Reser ves allows Sailors to continue to ser ve our countr y and live in Utah,” said the Salt Lake City Navy Operational Suppor t Center (NOSC) Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Kenneth Jensen. In essence, ser ving in the Navy Reser ve gives the flexibility for Sailors to ser ve while maintaining a broad range of civilian careers including data science, engineering and medicine. Since moving to its current location at For t Douglas in the 1970s, the majority of Reser ve Sailors train at the Salt Lake City NOSC. The NOSC suppor ts many Navy Reser ve units including a Naval hospital detachment, a Seabee constr uction detachment and a logistics contingency suppor t team. The NOSC is responsible for ensuring administration, training and medical objectives for Navy Reser ve Sailors are met. “ We provide the infrastr ucture for orders writing, travel and pay—all the administrative requirements, so that our Reser ve Sailors can suppor t operations throughout the Navy,” said Jensen. Jensen spoke about the balance of managing a civilian career, family and time in the Navy Reser ves. “Ever y Sailor does it differently—dedication, motivation and a sense of patriotism to want to be a Reser ve Sailor.” Balancing all of the responsibilities is no easy task and requires a strong desire for perseverance and refined time-management skills. Reser ve Sailors join for various reasons including retirement benefits, education oppor tunities, and health coverage. Many of the benefits come at age 60, but some are available right after joining. Additionally, the Navy Reser ve provides oppor tunities to ser ve in exotic locations globally. According to Jensen, another benefit of ser ving in the Navy Reser ve is that “it provides the benefit of a safety net—the Navy has oppor tunities for Sailors to go and work full-time.” va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

SHIP NAMESAKES U TA H S A I L S B E YO N D I T S B O R D E R S N ava l s h i p s h ave b e e n n a m e d f o r p a t r i o t s a n d h e ro e s , i d e a l s a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s , p l a ce s a n d p o s i t i ve c h a ra c te r t ra i t s , c l a s s i c a l n a m e s o r eve n s m a l l c re a t u re s . T h e re s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a s s i g n i n g n a m e s to s h i p s i s i n t h e h a n d s o f t h e S e c re t a r y o f t h e N av y, a p re ro g a t i ve w h i c h h e s t i l l exe rc i s e s . L e a r n m o re a t h i s to r y . n a v y . m i l / b rows e - b y - to p i c/ h e r i ta g e/ c u s to m s - a n d - t ra d i t i o n s/s h i p - n a m i n g . h t m l

U S S B r yc e C a n yo n ( A D - 3 6 ) S e r ve d : 19 5 0 - 8 1 At Pe a r l H a r b o r, H awa i i , d u r i n g t h e 19 70 s . Re ce i ve d o n e b a tt l e s t a r f o r s e r v i ce s to f o r c e s a f l o a t i n t h e Ko re a n c o m b a t a r e a . U S S S a l t L a ke C i t y ( C L- 2 5/C A- 2 5 ) S e r ve d : 19 2 9 -4 8 At M a r e I s l a n d N ava l S h i pya r d , C a l i f. , M a y 19 4 3 , s h ow i n g d i ff e r e n t radar antenna.

U S S S a l t L a ke C i t y ( S S N 7 1 6 ) S e r ve d : 19 8 4- 2 0 0 6 A p r a H a r b o r, G u a m , M a y 2 0 0 2 . T h e S a l t L a ke C i t y i s a L o s A n g e l e s c l a s s f a s t a tt a c k submarine.

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U S S Ly m a n K . Swe n s o n ( D D - 7 2 9 ) S e r ve d : 19 4 4- 6 9 At M a re I s l a n d N ava l S h i pya r d , C a l i f. , c i rc a 19 4 7.

U S S I ro n Co u n t y ( L S T- 8 4 0 ) S e r ve d : 19 4 4- 5 8 I n S a n Fra n c i s co B a y, C a l i f. , c i r c a 19 4 5 , l o a d e d w i t h F 6 F H e l l c a t s .

The f irst combat vessel in years to bear a name from the Beehive State— the USS Utah—will be a Virginia-class submarine. These submarines are typically named for states, and the Navy had been waiting to name the submarine whose registry number is to be 801—the telephone area code for Salt Lake City and most of the Wasatch Front. Capt. Patrick McNally, a spokesman for the secretary, conf irmed the number “was taken into consideration” when naming the vessel for Utah. The USS Utah still needs to be constructed at Groton, Conn., and is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2022. Virginia-class submarines are nuclear powered. The vessels are meant to provide defenses against enemy submarines, gather intelligence and conduct covert missions. The submarine won’ t be the f irst vessel named for the state. A battleship named USS Utah f irst sailed in 1911. It was in port at Pearl Harbor during the 1941 attack by Japan. a d a p t e d f r o m t h e s a lt l a k e t r i b u n e , s e p t .

U S S G a r f i e l d C o u n t y ( L S T- 7 8 4 ) S e r ve d : 19 4 4-4 6 I n S a n Fr a n c i s c o B a y, C a l i f. , c i r c a l a te 19 4 5 .

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U S S M o r g a n Co u n t y ( L S T- 1 0 4 8 ) S e r ve d : 19 4 5 -4 6 a n d 19 5 0 - 5 6 U n d e r wa y a t s e a , c i r c a 19 5 1- 5 5 .

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D u r i n g Wo r l d Wa r I I , t h e U n i ve r s i t y o f U t a h p r ov i d e d t r a i n i n g f o r N av y a n d M a r i n e S a i l o r s by s i m u l a t i n g o n - d e c k a r n a m e n t s . To d a y, t h e s p a c e i s u s e d f o r p h ys i c a l co n d i t i o n i n g . p h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f u n i v e r s i t y o f u ta h n r o t c

N AVA L R E S E RV E O F F I C E R TRAINING CORPS Established in 1945, the University of Utah Naval Reser ve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) unit trains and prepares men and women for commissions in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps. The University of Utah NROTC unit also has a cross-town affiliation with Westminster College and Weber State University, allowing students to par ticipate in the commissioning program. Students enrolled in the NROTC program must complete Naval Science courses in addition to completing a Baccalaureate degree. Naval Science courses range from Naval Ship Systems to Leadership and Ethics. Along with the rigors of the NROTC program, students par ticipate in extracurricular and volunteer activities with a direct community and economic impact here in Utah. “NROTC is an impor tant cultural and patriotic symbol for Utah as the only active duty Navy unit in the state as well as having a continuous presence since 1945,” said Navy Capt. Mark Springer, commanding officer of University of Utah NROTC and professor of Naval Science. “Additionally, the Navy has a stable economic impact providing over $600,000 annually in tuition payments as well as providing civilian jobs.” According to Springer, more than half of the students in the University of Utah NROTC unit are from or have immediate family residing along the Wasatch Front. Students have a lasting impact on the community and are role models for other young adults to emulate. Springer fur ther elaborated, “many University of Utah NROTC n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

alumni return to the area after active duty ser vice to become leaders in the business community.”

T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N n av y j u n i o r r e s e r v e o f f i c e r t r a i n i n g c o r p s : West High School hosts a Navy Junior Reser ve

Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) unit. Founded in 1993, the NJROTC unit’s program provides leadership development, citizenship, community ser vice, physical fitness and Naval heritage to high school students attending West High School. u ta h s e a c a d e t s : The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps program is a federally char tered non-profit civilian youth organization for young people, ages 11-17. The program is designed to develop interest in seamanship, instill vir tues of good citizenship and strong moral principles. The Sea Cadet presence in Utah consists of the Battleship Utah Division, Training Ship Mer vyn S. Bennion, and Jake Garn Squadron. Unlike NJROTC, the Sea Cadet program is regional and seeks to ser ve large metropolitan areas.

The United Naval Sea Cadet Corps Great Salt Lake Division was formed more than 30 years ago, and has since restr uctured into the Battleship Utah Division and the Training Ship Mer vyn S. Bennion. These two units focus on science, technology, engineering and math in addition to a leadership development program, the young cadets are set on a course for expanded oppor tunity. Commissioned in 2014, the Jake Garn Squadron is sponsored by American Legion Post 27 and is based at Hill Air Force Base. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

1 8 9 0 : S n ow re m ova l d e t a i l i n f ro n t o f h e a d q u a r te r s . f o r t d o u g l a s m u s e u m

photo

F O RT D O U G L A S U . S . M I L I TA RY C L A I M S A L O N G A N D R I C H H E R I TA G E I N U TA H b y [ Re t . ] Co l . Ro b e r t S . Vo y l e s fort douglas museum director

estled in the eastern foothills of Salt Lake City, on what is today the University of Utah, This Is the Place Heritage Park, Research Park, Mount Olivet Cemetery and the George E. Wahlen Veterans Hospital, is the oldest military installation in Utah. The Stephen A. Douglas Armed Forces Reserve Center continues to serve as a location for U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Navy Reserve and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve units.

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va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta hâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

T H E B EG I N N I N G S Camp Douglas (today known as Fort Douglas) was established on Oct. 26, 1862, by Colonel Patrick Edward Connor and his California volunteers. With the beginning of the Civil War, federal troops had been withdrawn from Camp Floyd in 1861 and redeployed to the East. This left a void in Utah Territor y with the result that Indian depredations increased along the various overland trails from Nebraska to the West Coast. Also, due to the belligerence of Mormon settlers and their leader, Brigham Young, the federal government felt that a strong militar y presence needed to be present in Utah. Utah was a vital crossroads between the West Coast (especially the gold fields) and the East. Connor arrived in October 1862 with one regiment of infantr y (3rd California Infantr y) and five companies of cavalr y (2nd California Cavalr y). With the increase in Indian attacks on the immigrant trails, Connor took aggressive action to stop these attacks. After a series of small and violent confrontations in December 1862 and early Januar y 1863, he led an expedition into southern Idaho and attacked a band of Northwestern Shoshoni under the leadership of Bear Hunter. In the ensuing fight, which lasted about four hours, approximately 250 Shoshoni (including about 90 women and children) were killed. The California volunteers lost 24 killed, 49 wounded and 75 frostbite casualties. Leaving two lodges with provisions for 160 women and children the soldiers burned the remaining 70 lodges and returned to Camp Douglas. This fight is still controversial to this day; referred to as either a battle, massacre, or both, depending upon the point of view of each historian.

1 8 6 4 : L o o k i n g we s t a c r o s s S a l t L a ke va l l e y. fort douglas museum photo

During this early period, Camp Douglas provided much needed cash into the local economy. With many of the California volunteers being former prospectors, Colonel Connor (now promoted to brigadier general for his action at Bear River) encouraged his men to look for precious minerals on their off duty time. Today, Connor is known as the “Father of Utah Mining.” Most of the mines opened in the Oquirrh Mountains west of Salt Lake City, including the Kennecott Copper open pit mine at Bingham Canyon, were discovered by his soldiers. Utah’s first mining district was organized by Connor in 1864. He also founded the town of Stockton, Utah, to set up a smelter for the ore being removed from his mines.

T H E F O RT B EC O M E S PERMANENT Following the end of the Civil War, the War Department determined that it was important to continue to station U.S. troops in Utah to support reconstruction efforts, especially the Congressional focus on eliminating polygamy from the territor y. In 1878, the camp was made a permanent installation and redesignated as Fort Douglas. Troops from the fort participated in various Indian campaigns, including

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1880s: Bandstand with band.

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the Powder River Campaign of 1865 and other minor skirmishes throughout Utah. During the period 1875-1876, the older sur viving historical buildings were constructed of sandstone from Red Butte Canyon. The fort took an active part in racial and social experimentation during this time. In 1892, one company of the 16th Infantr y was reser ved for young Indian men from the Rosebud Indian Reser vation in South Dakota. This was part of a national program to solve the “Indian problem” by converting the Plains Indians into “white” Indians. The experiment failed and the young men were returned to their reser vation in 1894. In 1896, it was announced that the 24th Infantr y (Colored) would be stationed at Fort Douglas. This caused much concern among the white community in Utah and, consequently, Utah Senator Frank J. Cannon met with the Secretar y of War to block the assignment. By the time the regiment deployed to Cuba from Fort Douglas in 1898, local opinion had completely changed, and the troops were welcomed back following their ser vice in the SpanishAmerican War.

WO R L D WA R I The fort continued with a regimental-sized garrison up to World War I. During the “Great War,” the fort’s strength increased to three infantr y regiments, with over 7,000 soldiers in training. This was the largest number of troops ever assigned to the post. The fort also ser ved as a mobilization station for the Utah National Guard, mainly the 145th Field Artiller y Regiment, which was subsequently assigned to the 40th Division from California.

1 8 8 4 : B a r ra c k s ex te r i o r.

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In addition to mobilization and training responsibilities, the for t also had a hospital and prisoner of war camp. War Prison Barracks No. 3 was established in May 1917 to house the first German POWs captured by U.S. forces in WWI. These were the crew of the SMS Cor moran, a German warship seized in Guam when the United States declared war on Germany, April 6, 1917. They were later followed by German and Austro-Hungarian civilian aliens who were determined to be a possible security threat, or disloyal to the United States. These, in turn were followed by the internment of socialists, Communists, union organizers and International Workers of the World (IWW ) suppor ters. The German POWs were transferred to For t Oglethorp, Georgia, in 1918, while many of the civilian internees remained up until the closure of the camp in 1920. General Hospital No. 27 was established in September 1917. This was a 1,000-bed hospital and handled more than 1,073 patients during its existence before being closed in August 1919. During this time the Spanish Influenza reached Utah, with over 2,500 deaths in the state, including 276 at Fort Douglas.

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19 2 0 s : B u g l e r s u s e m e g a p h o n e to b e h e a rd a ro u n d camp. fort douglas museum photo

19 4 0 s : Re p o r t i n g f o r d u t y.

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I N T E RWA R Y E A R S With the end of WWI, Fort Douglas reverted back to a single regiment post. The 38th Infantr y Regiment, “Rock of the Marne” was the major unit stationed at the fort. Arriving in 1922, the regiment remained until 1940. The fort became a training site for the Civilian Militar y Training Camp (CMTC) program from 1922 to 1940. This program was a series of two-week militar y summer camps for young men. Attendees completing this training were eligible to enter the Army at a higher rank than other recruits. A later program, not to be confused with the CMTC, was the Civilian Conser vation Corps (CCC). Fort Douglas was the headquarters for a CCC district, which was established in May 1933 and continued up until the beginning of WWII. The program was developed to provide work for the estimated five to seven million young men, ages 16 to 25,

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who were unemployed due to the Great Depression. At its peak, the Fort Douglas district super vised 38 camps, with over 6,000 enrollees. The CCC members were assigned tasks in forestr y, firefighting, grazing land improvement, soil conser vation, and national and state park improvements. We still enjoy the results of this program today.

WO R L D WA R I I In 1940, before the United States entered WWII, Fort Douglas was converted to an Army Air Corps Base. One wing (20th Bomb) and three bomb groups (7th, 39th and 42nd) were stationed on the east side of the Salt Lake City Airport. This site is used today by the Utah Air National Guard. Personnel were housed at Fort Douglas. On Dec. 7, 1941, a squadron of the 7th Bomb Group was flying into Hawaii when it became entangled with the Japanese aircraft attacking Pearl Harbor. The group was part of n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

THE NAMING OF CAMP DOUGLAS Stephen A. Douglas, born April 23, 1813 in Vermont, moved to Illinois at 20 years of age. He quickly rose to a position of leadership in the Illinois Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843. In 1846 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, in which he served until his death of typhoid fever on June 3, 1861. Heavyset and only 5’4” tall, he was dubbed “The Little Giant” by his contemporaries. Douglas was an enthusiastic “National Expansionist,” Stephen A. Douglas giving support to nara photo the annexation of Texas (1845), the Mexican War (1846-1848), and advocating government land grants to promote transcontinental railroad construction and a free homestead policy for settlers on the frontier. 19 4 3 : T h e “ b i g b e d ro o m” i n s i d e t h e U n i ve r s i t y o f U t a h ’ s Field House. fort douglas museum photo

the reinforcements that were supposed to continue on to the Philippines for General MacArthur. They were rerouted to Australia and ultimately ended up in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater. With the perceived threat of a Japanese attack on the West Coast of the United States, the major command headquarters for the western United States was relocated from San Francisco to Fort Douglas, where it remained until early 1946. This command, designated the Ninth Ser vice Command, was responsible for induction, supply, maintenance, medical, and other non-combat training and support for a nine-state area. It was also responsible for the management of German and Italian POWs (a total of over 14,000 in Utah), and external security for Japanese-American internment camps. Thousands of volunteers and inductees were processed through the Reception and Induction Center, and even more were processed for separation as the war came to an end in 1945. n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

As senator from Illinois, Douglas encouraged the migration of the Mormons to the west and was supportive of funding the Mormon Battalion to be sent to California for the Mexican War. However, he was not pleased with the social/ religious structure of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the Mormons—and sponsored legislation in the Senate that was contrary to the Mormon way of life.

lasting legacy It is not recorded why Col. P. Edward Connor chose to name the military camp on the east bench of the Great Salt Lake Valley after Stephen A. Douglas. Perhaps the abrasive attitude Connor had towards the LDS Church and the fact that Douglas was also known to be somewhat antagonistic to the religious group (and had just died) made this a subtle but obvious choice. —by Su Richards Fort Douglas Museum Historian

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During the war many famous personalities visited the fort as part of the various USO and Special Ser vices programs to keep morale up. These included Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Jack Dempsey (boxer), Henr y Armstrong (boxer), Ralph Bellemy and Mickey Rooney. Although tens of thousands of soldiers were processed through the fort, actual assigned militar y personnel amounted to about 1,000, with another 2,000 civilians (the majority of them women) working as War Department employees.

TO T H E P R E S E N T With end of WWII, the fort continued to function as a reception and separation center up through the end of the Vietnam War. Over the years portions of the fort were declared excess and turned over to various organizations. The mission of the fort gradually declined, with most of the focus on training assistance to the various reser ve units in the 6th Army Area (i.e., National Guard and Army Reser ve). In 1967 the fort became a sub-installation under Fort Carson, Colo. Fort Douglas was closed in 1991 and the remaining militar y activities were redesignated as the

Stephen A. Douglas Armed Forces Reser ve Center. The most notable activity on what is now known as historic Fort Douglas, was the conversion of most of the facilities into an athletes village for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Many of the buildings were temporarily remodeled for athlete housing, gift shops, banks, a medical clinic, and other functions that would be found in a small village. Today, most of the original For t Douglas proper ty has been transferred to other agencies, with the University of Utah receiving most of the proper ty. Other transfers include the VA Hospital, Research Park, This Is the Place Heritage Park, and the University of Utah Medical Center. The remaining militar y presence is the U.S. Army Reser ve, with two major commands (807th Medical Command and 76th Operational Response Command), various smaller units, and a U.S. Navy Reser ve Center, that includes a USMC Reser ve rifle company. For t Douglas has a long and proud histor y that is preser ved today with the restoration of its historic buildings by the University of Utah and the preser vation of its histor y by the For t Douglas Militar y Museum.

U TA H ’ S M I L I TA RY M U S E U M AT F O RT D O U G L A S The Fort Douglas Military Museum, located on the University of Utah’s upper campus, is an element of the Utah National Guard. The Museum was established in August 1974 as part of the U.S. Army Museum System. It is currently the official Utah National Guard Museum with the mission of collecting, preserving and interpreting the rich military heritage of Utah. In January 1975, the Fort Douglas Military Museum Association began its charter membership drive and in 1975 the Association was incorporated. Renovation of Building 32 also began in June of that year. The Museum was dedicated on Oct. 26, 1975 and officially opened on May 14, 1976. The sponsoring headquarters was the 96th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM). In 1981, Major General Kaufman initiated a fund raising drive to develop the Cannon Park and statue of Major General Patrick E. Connor. This project was completed in 1986. The Museum received Certification from the Center of Military History on Nov. 3, 1986. As a result of the Fort turnover to the University of Utah in late 1988, the Museum came under the sponsorship of the Utah National Guard, where it remains today. In 2000, a complete review was made of the facilities and exhibits and it was determined that a major renovation and expansion was needed. As a result, a $6 million plan was developed. As of this date, an additional 6,000 square feet for a new main gallery and collection storage has been built and the existing electrical and HVAC systems have been replaced in the historical buildings.

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Va r i o u s a i r c r a ft a n d l a n d t r a n s p o r t s o n d i s p l a y a t the Museum. fort douglas museum photo In 2013, the Memorial Park, consisting of the Utah Fallen Warrior Memorial and the Women’s Service Memorial was opened. The Museum is currently in a major relocation and renovation project that is projected to be completed by December 2016. The Museum is open noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Free of charge, donations are welcome. For further information on the Museum, visit fortdouglas.org. n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

BUILDING BLOCKS CONNECTING VETERAN ENTREPRENUERS WITH THE RIGHT BUSINESS RESOURCES b y S a ra h Ry t h e r Fr a n co m

tah is home to nearly 170,000 veterans who have courageously ser ved our countr y. They are our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers, our neighbors and friends. They are the few who were willing to put ever ything on the line to preser ve our national security. Yet after they have so valiantly ser ved, too many veterans struggle finding meaningful employment in the private sector. “About 10 years ago, Utah’s veteran unemployment number was astronomically high—around 33 percent,” says Brian Garrett, senior vice president and director of militar y relations at Zions Bank. “Despite the best efforts of the state of Utah and many community organizations, veterans face many different issues when looking for employment. We knew we needed to come together to address the unemployment problem.” In Januar y 2014, the Utah Veteran Owned Business Partnership (UVOBP) was formed with the mission to connect veteran entrepreneurs and business owners with the resources they need to be successful in the marketplace. UVOBP partners include Salt Lake County, the Utah Department of Veteran and Militar y Affairs, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Small Business Administration, Salt Lake Chamber, Zions Bank, American Express and others. “ We were all doing great things, but we needed to come together and collaborate,” says Garrett. “ We brought

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together several organizations to form one partnership to provide all the necessar y information and resources in one place to help our veterans find work and launch their own businesses. Fast for ward to today and veteran unemployment is 2 percent.” To decide how best to help veterans, UVOBP kicked off by launching a veteran-based sur vey to find out what ser vices they’d like to see. In response, UVOBP will host several conferences to increase education and awareness of business resources that are available to Utah veterans. The partnership will also host four large job fairs annually. Ted Elliott, SBA veteran affairs representative, says UVOBP has already created enormous opportunities for veteran business owners and entrepreneurs. “ The UVOBP is vital because it centralizes the resources veterans need, which means veterans have less of a chore locating the resources available to them,” he says. “ There are many great and different organizations that belong to UVOBP, helping to give veterans one place where they can go and network and find out information that’s going to help them. It’s really a great partnership.” Learn more about the Utah Veterans Owned Business Partnership at veterans.utah.gov/business. Following are five businesses that have utilized available resources to start their dreams and grow their enterprises. Each is grateful for the help given to them, and in turn, strive to give back a helping hand. va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

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K W E X C AVAT I O N , I N C JA N E I C E W H I TA K E R b y S a r a h Ry t h e r Fr a n c o m

f you had to describe Janeice Whitaker in one word, that word would be perseverance. During her time in the militar y and as a business owner, Whitaker’s hard work, determination and can-do attitude helped her conquer challenge after challenge. Whitaker gre w up in a small farming community and was no stranger to a hard day’s work. While in high school, Whitaker worked a full-time job and several par t-time jobs. “In the walking path from one [job] to another, I had to pass the recr uiting office. I would stop and look in the window after ever yone had left and wonder what it would be like to really wear the uniform and fight for our freedoms,” she recalls. One day, Whitaker decided to step inside and soon found herself headed off to Ft. McClellan, Ala., for basic training. Whitaker excelled through basic training and spent much of her time encouraging and mentoring other young women. “I found it easy to get along with others and found myself nur turing many who were not happy and ready to quit,” she says. “I loved the variety and uniqueness of the people and personalities. Each person would r ub off a little on you. I learned so much from ever ybody.” Like many young recr uits, her time in the militar y fle w by. She wanted to re-enlist, but had to return to Utah to help care for her ailing father. She did, however, join the Army Reser ves and later the Air Force Reser ves where she ser ved for several years. Though she faced immense challenges while in the ser vice, Whitaker says her time there was invaluable to shaping who she is today.

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“My militar y experience taught me to persevere no matter what challenges faced me,” she says. “I learned that it was okay to be a strong person and speak out for what was right, that integrity was impor tant above all else.” Today, Whitaker r uns KW Excavation, a company that per forms excavation work for residential, commercial and industrial projects. Whitaker took over the Clear fieldbased company when her husband passed away unexpectedly in 2007. Taking over was a challenge, especially as the countr y entered the Great Recession, but Whitaker kept moving for ward. “Many encouraged me to quit, to find a real job. The company was left with a great deal of debt, some of which I am still making payments on, but [I kne w] I had to keep going.” Whitaker found several resources in the community, including the PTAC office that helped her register for government oppor tunities, the SBA’s Boots to Business: Reboot program, the Women’s Business Center, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. She advises other veterans to seek help when navigating the business realm. “Don’t be too proud to ask for help. People want to help you succeed.” Today, Whitaker strives to help other veterans get on their feet by promoting veteran hiring and mentorship. “Suppor ting militar y personnel and veterans helps to build a stronger community,” she says. “ There is a feeling of brotherhood/sisterhood that is essential for a healthy, for ward-moving community.” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

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L O C K- N - L O A D J AVA CA R L A N D LO R I C H U RC H I L L b y S a r a h Ry t h e r Fr a n c o m

here was never any doubt in Carl Churchill’s mind that he would join the militar y. “I gre w up on militar y bases where you woke up in the morning to the sound of soldiers singing as they ran in formation past your front door. War and ser vice were not abstract concepts,” he says. “ We watched our fathers go to Vietnam or to battle stations on the German border. We stood up and held our hands over our hear ts when the National Anthem played before the movies. And living all over the world gave us a sense of worldliness at a young age, as well as a strong sense of pride in being Americans and representing our countr y. I gre w up ver y proud and patriotic.”

At age 17, Churchill raised his right hand and e n l i s t e d a s a n A r m y Pr i v a t e . “ W h i l e e n l i s t e d , I e a r n e d a n ROTC s c h o l a r s h i p a n d w e n t t o t h e Un i v e r s i t y o f Ut a h a n d w a s c o m m i s s i o n e d a n o f f i c e r. I e n d e d u p s e r v i n g 2 1 y e a r s , d e p l oy i n g n u m e r o u s t i m e s , a n d re t i r i n g a s a L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l .” After retiring from the ser vice, Churchill and his wife Lori were ready to tackle their next adventure: entrepreneurship. Together, they opened Lock-n-Load Java.

coffee that began to emerge here in the U.S. We decided to combine our passion for coffee with our passion to give back to the militar y community.” Now in its sixth year, Lock-n-Load Java isn’t just committed to ser ving the best coffee, it’s also committed to ser ving the troops. “ We tr y to hire, par tner with and purchase from veterans whenever we can. For ever y bag of coffee we sell, we send some donated coffee to deployed troops and we provide a way for people to send discounted coffee to deployed troops as well,” Churchill says. “ We provide a militar y discount on all purchases. We suppor t and donate to well-r un and effective militar y charities with an emphasis on those that provide outdoor therapy to our warriors. Two outstanding local organizations we suppor t are Continue Mission and Operation Climb On.” Churchill says what he enjoys most about his work is giving back to those who ser ve. “Our company mission is to live life as a warrior, provide awesome coffee, laugh it off and have fun, and to do good by giving back. It is just an extension of that warrior commitment to ser ving the greater good and protecting those that need it. It is the right thing to do and it feels good.”

“Coffee has long been the lifeblood of the militar y and I got to enjoy lots of it while I was in,” he recalls. “ That included savoring the amazing coffee in European cafes and choking down the sludge that passed for coffee when we were deployed in combat. My wife and I gre w to love great coffee and developed a passion for the great n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

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I N T E R I M H E A LT H C A R E O F S A LT L A K E M I C H A E L A N D M A R L A N A H AW K I N S b y S a r a h Ry t h e r Fr a n c o m

ichael Hawkins gre w up with his eyes in the sky, watching with intrigue as Hill Air Force jets raced across the sky. “I always kne w I wanted to be a pilot,” he recalls. Hawkins joined the Air Force ROTC and began working toward his lifelong dream of flying in the militar y. But as he inched closer to sitting in the cockpit, he faced an enormous defeat when he was medically disqualified from becoming an Air Force pilot. “ When I got disqualified, it was a kick in the stomach. It’s what I had always planned on doing. I was shocked.” Hawkins retooled his focus and became an intelligence officer, a position he quickly gre w passionate about. He ser ved for several years as an active duty officer, until reducing his role to Air Force Reser ve status in 2005. “I decided it was time to focus on my family and star t my civilian career,” he says. Hawkins never anticipated going back to active duty, but was called to ser ve as an active duty ROTC instr uctor in 2010 and stood up to the challenge. “It’s hard to describe what I learned from that experience. It was magical and inspiring,” he says. “ They were driven, eager and amazing young people. I learned far more from them than they learned from me.” It was during that time that Hawkins recognized he wanted to give back to the community. He decided to make

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a career change and join the healthcare industr y. With his wife Marlana, who has been an oncology and home health and hospice nurse for nearly 20 years, Hawkins launched Interim Healthcare of Salt Lake. The company’s mission is to provide in-home personal care and suppor t ser vices that help Utah’s elderly and disabled live enriched, safe and independent lives. Hawkins has made it a company priority to offer special assistance to elderly veterans. He and his employees actively educate veterans about the many benefits they are eligible to receive. He points to the Aid and Attendance pension as a benefit that many veterans are unaware of. “ This is designed to pay for in-home care,” like daily living activities such as bathing, meals, house-keeping and transpor tation, he says. “It’s amazing that most veterans don’t know about this,” he adds, noting that his staff can help answer questions about applying for the pension. Hawkins says he takes pride knowing that many of Interim Healthcare’s clients are veterans. “ There’s a special place in my hear t for those we care for who are veterans. They were the generation that built America and to this day are ver y independent-minded and determined people. I have respect for who they are and what they’ve done. I enjoy knowing that we give them the dignity that they deser ve.” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

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BLUE PLANET SCOOTERS T R AV I S S M I T H

b y S a r a h Ry t h e r Fr a n c o m

hen Travis Smith makes his mind up about doing something, it’s as good as done. “I was raised in a family that you’re expected to take initiative and do your own thing,” he says. “I believe in taking responsibility of your own actions.”

It’s been just over two years since Smith acquired Blue Planet Scooters and it’s moving fast ahead. Smith revamped the company’s business model to focus on after-market scooter, motorcycle and ATV par ts, ser vicing and speed enhancement—a model that has been ver y successful.

Smith, who was raised in a militar y family, dreamed of joining the Armed Forces for as long as he can remember. “My dad was a U.S. Marine during the Vietnam era. I was always exposed to the militar y lifestyle. Both my grandpas were militar y—Army and Air Force. It’s in our blood.”

“Our ser vice depar tment three years ago would have had maybe a couple bikes in the back for ser vicing. Right now we have 40 bikes back there with three or four guys working to make sure we get this stuff out. It’s awesome.”

Smith joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 2001 and severed two tours in Iraq before being honorably discharged in 2005. He wasn’t sure what to do next, so he began attending Salt Lake Community College and working par t time at a local scooter and bike dealership. He had long been passionate about motorcycles and dir t bikes, and recognized an oppor tunity to turn the dealership into something more. “I saw potential in the untapped market, so I approached the owners about doing a par tnership with a ne w business model.” The owners didn’t just agree to par tner with Smith, they gave him the oppor tunity to purchase the business outright. “I was so excited, but I learned I couldn’t do it alone,” Smith says, advising other veterans to seek help when launching their own business. “If you have an idea or you have a passion that you want to make your livelihood, do your home work and get some help.” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

What Smith enjoys most about his work is suppor ting veterans and militar y personnel who share the same passion. Blue Planet Scooters offers several discounts to militar y personnel and veterans, as well as to fire and police officers. Smith is also ver y active with several veteran suppor t associations. “I am a ver y proud veteran-owned business owner,” he says. “ We give [veterans and militar y personnel] 10 percent right off the top for any par ts. They have put their lives on the line and ser ved. I am proud to suppor t them.” As he looks for ward, Smith is excited for Blue Planet Scooter’s future. “ We have really awesome people here. It’s more like a family than it is a business. Ever yone here really wants to strive and see where we’re going,” he says. “I love it.”

va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

A R C H E R T E C H N O L O G I E S I N T E R N AT I O N A L B R E T W YO N T

b y S a r a h Ry t h e r Fr a n c o m

ret Wyont is a big picture person. Whether in business or in play ( Wyont is a master BBQ chef ), he understands that each part, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in the end result. It’s a skill he perfected while ser ving in the United States Air Force, especially during his time in Desert Storm, where he super vised assembly and testing of precision guided weapons. “It was long, hard work. We had 50 plus men and women with the sole purpose to assemble and test precision guided weapons as fast and as safe as we could to meet the sor tie requirements of the air wing. When you have to deploy a weapon, that weapon has to work, right down to the smallest piece. If it doesn’t work, people’s lives are at risk,” he says. “It’s a ver y strenuous time, mentally and physically. But what that does is make you realize you can do almost anything.” Wyont grew up in a small North Carolina town where kids quickly learned that if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat. Like many teenagers, Wyont wanted a way out of his hometown and joined the United States Air Force under the delayed enlistment program. Within 30 days after graduating from high school, he left for basic training. He didn’t have high expectations for himself—he never thought he would go to college, which he did—but he was committed to working hard, ser ving others and learning ever ything he could. Wyont ser ved honorably in the Air Force for nearly 14 years, spending 11.5 of those years teaching maintainers, air-to-air and air-to-ground precision guided weapons. He earned the Air Training Command Master Instructor rating. A self-described “bookworm,” teaching didn’t come easy to Wyont, but it became another challenge to tackle. “I learned that you really can do anything if you set your mind to it,” he says, “and I learned to love it.” To d a y, Wyo n t s e r ve s a s c o - f o u n d e r a n d p re s i d e n t o f b u s i n e s s d e ve l o p m e n t f o r A rc h e r Te c h n o l o g i e s In t e r n a t i o n a l , In c . T h e c o m p a n y s p e c i a l i ze s i n o f f site engineering and technology insertion, on-demand manufacturing, and advisory and assistance services c o n t r a c t i n g f o r t h e De p a r t m e n t o f De f e n s e a n d s e ve r a l o r i g i n a l e q u i p m e n t m a n u f a c t u re r s . Bu t w h a t Wyo n t i s e s p e c i a l l y p ro u d o f i s t h e c o m p a n y’s Ma n u f a c t u r i n g Pa r t n e r s h i p Ne t w o rk , w h i c h b r i n g s t o g e t h e r m o re t h a n 1 0 0 s m a l l m a n u f a c t u r i n g b u s i n e s s e s t o d e ve l o p a w i d e r a n g e o f p a r t s f o r t h e d e f e n s e i n d u s t r y. “ We founded it with the dream of marr ying small businesses together so they didn’t have to play ‘musical contractors,’” he says. “ Today, we work with small businesses and provide them manufacturing opportunities. To date this year (2015), we have delivered over 39,000 assemblies,

va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

B re t Wyo n t ’s co m p a n y, A rc h e r Te c h n o l o g i e s In te r n a t i o n a l , h a s d eve l o p e d a to o l to u n l o c k ro c ke t f i n s m a k i n g i t e a s i e r to c h a n g e o u t o rd n a n ce . u ta h m e d i a g r o u p p h o t o / c h a d z a v a l a

which were all manufactured within our Utah small business Manufacturing Partnership Network teamed companies.” T h e n e t w o rk o f m a n u f a c t u re r s Wyo n t h e l p e d c re a t e h a s k e p t s e ve r a l s m a l l c o m p a n i e s g row i n g s t ro n g i n t h e s t a t e . “A l a r g e q u a n t i t y o f o u r m a n u f a c t u r i n g i s b e i n g d o n e r i g h t h e re i n Ut a h . A n d t h e s e g u y s a re g row i n g t h e i r b u s i n e s s e s a n d f e e d i n g t h e i r f a m i l i e s , d r i v i n g Ut a h e c o n o m i c g row t h o n t h a t w o rk . A l l o f u s c o l l e c t i ve l y w o rk i n g t o g e t h e r a re d o i n g o u r p a r t t o d r i ve t h e e c o n o m i c d e ve l o p m e n t e n g i n e o f t h i s s t a t e .” Wyo n t a l s o s e r ve s o n c o m m i t t e e s t h a t s t r i ve t o h e l p ve t e r a n s f i n d b u s i n e s s o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n d e f e n s e contracting. “I want to try to help small businesses learn s o A rc h e r Te c h n o l o g i e s In t e r n a t i o n a l In c . , c a n w o rk w i t h t h e m a n d h e l p g row t h e i r s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s ,” h e s a y s . “ W h e n we a l l w o rk t o g e t h e r, we c a n b e s u c c e s s f u l a n d d o m o re g re a t w o rk .” n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

E M P LOY M E N T R E S O U RC E S F O R U TA H ’ S M I L I TA RY Al l a c ro s s Ut a h , ve t e ra n s re t u r n h o m e a f t e r s e r v i n g c o u ra g e o u s l y a ro u n d t h e w o rl d . Ye t , t o o m a n y ve t e ra n s s t r u g g l e f i n d i n g e m p l oy m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s u p o n a r r i v i n g i n t h e Be e h i ve St a t e . Be l ow i s a l i s t o f re s o u rc e s t o h e l p t h o s e w h o s e r ve d i n t h e Ar m e d Fo rc e s f i n d m e a n i n g f u l w o rk i n t h e p r i va t e s e c t o r.

d e pa rt m e n t o f wo r k f o r c e s e rv i c e s If you are seeking employment in the private sector, Utah Department of Workforce Services website is a great place to start. This site brings together job seekers and potential employers from across Utah in one spot. Veterans and military personnel can create a profile, access job postings and learn about upcoming hiring events happening throughout the state. Those who identify as veterans in their online profiles will be connected to organizations looking to hire veterans. Veterans also receive “veteran preference” on the website. jobs.utah.gov/ jobseeker/veteran.html

sba boots to business and boots to business reboot Do you want to start your own business? The SBA Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education initiative offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to help veteran business owners and entrepreneurs. Ted Elliott, SBA Veteran affairs representative at the Utah SBA says the program helps veterans turn their ideas into coherent business plans. “We help them figure out all the steps necessary to start their business, and we give them a host of resources that are available to aid them. The program is like a mini-MBA offered over an intensive eight week course.” The SBA also offers a Boots to Business: Reboot educational program, which aims to provide a n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 5

H e ro 2 H i re d j o b f a i r.

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helping hand to veterans who are already business owners. Boots to Business: Reboot reinforces the fundamentals of business ownership and leads participants through the key steps for evaluating business concepts and developing a business plan. Both programs also introduce participating veterans to a network of lifetime business support available locally and across the nation. sba.gov

hero 2 hired j o b fa i r s Hero2 Hired (H2H) job fairs are for veterans, active duty military members, guard and reserve members, and military spouses to meet with prospective employers. Hundreds of employers participate, as well as the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and several veteran service organizations. Additionally,

(employer

support of the guard and reserves) photo

representatives are available to answer questions about veteran benefits and programs. The event also includes an interview preparation workshop. H2H job fairs are hosted throughout the year, but fill up fast. veterans.utah. gov/hero-2-hired

s a lt l a k e c h a m b e r wo m e n ’ s b u s i n e s s center One of a national network of nearly 100 centers supported by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and is “designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses.” However, unlike many other centers, the WBC operates as a separate nonprofit organization within the Salt Lake Chamber, allowing it access to a unique set of tools and resources to aid entrepreneurs. The WBC provides a platform of business development and job creation

in Utah by delivering quality and applicable entrepreneurial consulting, professional training and premier networking opportunities. slchamber.com/wbc

u ta h pat r i o t pa rt n e r s h i p Are you an employer who wants to hire veterans and military personnel? The Department of Workforce Services has made it easy to find veterans through its online job connection service. Simply look for a U.S. flag at the top of a resume, and you’ll know you’re looking at a veteran’s profile. Employers who pledge to hire veterans will receive a special “Utah Patriot Partnership” distinction. jobs.utah.gov

va l o r : a s a lu t e to u ta h’s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta ry

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